The present invention relates to weight lifting devices and more specifically to a barbell device which can utilize a pair of dumbbells for the weights for barbells and allows the dumbbells to be removed for separate use.
In the past, it has been common to provide a great variety of weight lifting devices but the most commonly used device consist of a barbell having an elongated cylindrical lifting bar having a rotatable sleeve mounted thereto and having a pair of collars on each end which are threadably locked to the lifting bar. Disk-shaped weights are placed on the bar between the locking collars for holding the weights on either end. Other exercising devices include dumbbells which generally have a bar handle having weights on either end thereof. Dumbbells are usually provided in pairs so that one can be held in each hand for doing lighter-type exercise routines.
The present invention is directed towards a combination device in which the dumbbells can be utilized as a barbell weights or for added weight to the lifting bar and which can thereby be sold as a kit for doing exercise routines with both the dumbbells and a barbell.
In the prior art U.S. patent to Matysek, U.S. Pat. No. 1,366,200 for an exercising device, a bar is provided having a number of apertures therethrough and a pair of dumbbells each having a large aperture therethrough sized to slide onto the end of the barbell bar. A pair of cotter pins or the like can then be slid through the apertures in the bar on either side of the dumbbell to lock the dumbbells in place to provide dumbbells on a barbell type bar. This prior system has the disadvantage in that the dumbbell handles have to be large enough to have an aperture that will slide onto a barbell bar and still give sufficient strength in the handles. The handles then become unduly large and this requires custom made dumbbells which do not comfortably fit the hands of the user. In addition, sliding the pins in and out of the barbell can also be a difficult task. In this patent, hollow dumbbells are provided which can be filled with a substance to add weight to the dumbbell. In the Price, U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,316, a weight lifting bar is provided which has a hanger including a sleeve which slides onto either end of a barbell bar and has a perpendicular bar for attaching a plurality of disk weights placed at right angles to the bar. The attachment has other variations but includes a threaded lock built into the accessory sleeve. In the Monti patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,597, a push-pull type weight shaft exercising device includes a weight lifting shaft having hand grips positioned on either end thereof. A weighted member fits outside of each hand grip onto the bar. The weighted members have apertures therein which allow a bolt to slide therethrough for threadedly attaching into the end of the weight lifting shaft. Each weight includes a container for filling with water or a substance to add weight to the exercising device.
In contrast to the prior art devices, the present invention allows a pair of dumbbells to be sold along with a single barbell type bar with special brackets so that conventional dumbbells which a person already has or may purchase with the kit can be used as weights on the barbell and can be used separately for dumbbell exercise routines.